Three Conversations
by Tess DiCorsi
Summary: Three conversations, two before "The Debt" and one after.
1. Three Men and a Hetty

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break anything.

SUMMARY: Three conversations, two before "The Debt" and one after.

**I. Three Men and a Hetty**

"Please leave a message at the tone."

"Hey Kensi, I've got one more meeting with someone named Marie in H.R. about my insurance but I should be back around lunch. Since I successfully requalified with my weapon and filled a cup for my drug test, I'm treating myself to Pann's. If you want something, send me a text. I'm thinking chicken and waffles." Deeks hung up just as he stepped into the elevator. He hoped H.R. was still on the seventh floor. The new Police Administrative Building was a mystery to him. This was his fourth trip to the new place. The first time was getting chewed out after NCIS took over his six month drug ring case, second time was after the Emilio Ortega disaster and third was requalifying after getting shot. Not a lot of good things happened here.

Deeks found the H.R. office and asked for Marie. Marie, sitting in a chair in the waiting room, handed him an envelope and suggested he open it right away. The note requested his presence in a meeting immediately at the Emergency Operations Center. Again, not a lot of good things happened here. Marie's final responsibility was to deliver him to the EOC

Once there, Deeks was found Deputy Chief Tom Warner with Callen and Hetty waiting for him. "Has something happened to Kensi?"

"No Mr. Deeks, Miss Blye is fine. She's currently working with Mr. Beale on a project that should take most of the day," Hetty reassured him.

Deeks turned his attention to the Deputy Chief. "Am I getting fired?"

"No, Detective," Deeks noted the emphasis Warner put on his title, "your work with NCIS and our offices has been satisfactory."

"So we're having a super secret meeting here in this super secret room because..."

Callen pointed to a chair next near where Deeks was standing. "There are some issues with the joint operation you're coordinating between LAPD and NCIS."

Deeks sat. "Issues?"

"You've investigated Clarence Fisk in the past, correct." Callen started.

"Yes. If you work for Roger Bates, sooner or later you go after Clarence Fisk."

Warner opened a file. "This was fairly early in your career."

"Bates likes sending in fresh faces to work cases against Fisk. I spent about two months as a wannabe talent agent who supplemented his income by dealing on the side."

"Eleven people were arrested but Fisk wasn't one of them." Warner closed the file. "And no one turned on Fisk either."

Deeks wondered why they were reviewing a six-year old case. "I never got close to Fisk but Bates was worried that my cover had too many holes. I got pulled but not until I got a handful of his low level associates on tape. Nobody would flip on Fisk. Caesar Lopez could have walked on his charges if he just cooperated but he's finishing up a seven year sentence because nobody talks about Fisk."

Warner took out another file. "Your eleven arrests and Daryl Crawford's thirteen arrests two years later represents the LAPD's most successful run at Fisk."

"Why do you think Bates uses fresh faces as you called them?" Callen asked.

"Fisk is beyond paranoid. Won't allow his name to be used in a conversation. Ever. Doesn't do anything to draw attention to himself. Travels with muscle but always at a distance. Lives in a good neighborhood but not in a mansion. Drives a quality car but nothing ostentatious. His suits are custom made but nothing flashy." Deeks ran his hand through his hair. "He studies the force, knows who's around. I was a month out of the Legal Bureau and just finished my first real undercover when I was sent in. Nobody knew me in Palos Verdes, cops or criminals, so it was my case to make."

Callen followed up. "That case was in late 2005."

"That's about right."

"And Crawford finished in 2007."

"Can't tell you much about that case. I was working on something else and didn't see much of the squad around that time."

"Where's Daryl Crawford now."

"Right now, not sure. I know he move east with his girl after she got a big time job offer. Last I heard, he was working corporate security for some Fortune 500 company."

"Do you think it is strange that the two officers who've had any success with Clarence Fisk are both no longer active members of the department?" Callen asked.

Deeks answer was immediate. "I still consider myself an active member of LAPD."

"As does the department," Warner added.

"What's going on here?" Setting up this joint task force was difficult enough now Deeks felt a turf war between LAPD and NCIS was about to start.

Warner sighed. "There is a thought that Clarence Fisk may have a member of the LAPD on his payroll."

Deeks turned his attention to Warner. "Has IA looked at this?"

"Years ago, found nothing."

"Years ago? What's going on that this is suddenly a priority." Deeks looked at Hetty and Callen. "And what does this have to do with NCIS?"

Warner explained LAPD's interest. "I want to do an off the books investigation into why we can't get anything on Fisk. Why Lt. Bates, whose clearance rate is second best in the department, can't get sniff against Fisk."

"You think Bates is dirty?" Deeks asked the Deputy Chief.

Warner answered with a question, "Do you?"

"No." Deeks was unsure of a lot of things when it came to the department. He was sure about Bates. "How does this impact the joint task force?"

"I want you back with the department both to stop the sale of the RDX and to find out if anyone on the LAPD payroll is also on Clarence Fisk's payroll," Warner explained.

"Back?"

Warner took a deep breath. "With the help of NCIS, we're coming up with a number of scenarios that will cause LAPD to terminate the liaison position."

"So I am getting fired."

Warner started to clear up his previous statement, "No, the liaison position will be eliminated..."

"Temporarily," Hetty added.

"Yes, Ms. Lange, temporarily. You will return to Lt. Bates's squad and work to recover the RDX, capture Fisk and uncover a mole if there is one."

"Since my work with NCIS is satisfactory to LAPD, the scenarios that send me back to Bates aren't going to be positive, are they?"

Callen almost sounded sorry, "No. Your reputation is going to take a hit. Temporarily."

"Not much of a reputation to start with," Deeks sighed. "So I do something awful and get sent back to LAPD. Why is Bates going to trust me to do anything with his team since I just did something awful?"

"Lt. Bates respects what you have accomplished, even if he's..." Warner struggled for the right words, "if he's not always found you...he hasn't..."

Deeks decided to end Warner's struggles,"Yeah, I get it."

"No Detective, you don't. Roger Bates respects all you've done. Early October was the one year anniversary of you being assigned to NCIS full-time and his report on your accomplishments was positive. The problem is you're not his cup of tea. It doesn't bother you that you're not his cup of tea and that bothers him. Bates's military background doesn't quite jibe with your style. Neither one of you is wrong in this. You're both very effective for the department." Warner's phone rang. "Excuse me, I have to take this."

As Warner leaves, Deeks asked Hetty, "Why aren't Sam and Kensi here?"

"Mr. Hanna is looking for Michael Saleh. We expect his return in a day or two. Miss Blye has the most important role in this operation."

"Which is?"

"She will be part of whatever event returns you to LAPD. Kensi won't know it's staged," Callen told him.

Deeks was startled at first but then it sunk in. "So she's going to think I screwed up, got fired, sorry, reassigned and I'm gone for good."

"Chief Warner explained that he could get you back on LAPD's Fisk investigation if Bates believes you would be helpful and completely loyal to him."

Deeks's phone chirped. He gave it a quick look. "There was a cop shot on Pico. That's probably why Warner left."

Hetty crossed the room and sat next to Deeks. "Then we have a few minutes, Mr. Deeks. As you know, Lt. Bates was a highly accomplished interrogator during the Gulf War. We believe he'll talk to Miss Blye before allowing you back on his taskforce."

And the picture was now complete for Deeks. "And a clueless Kensi is going to sell my story. A human backstop."

Callen nodded. "She'll have seen you screw up. Sam and I will not be as supportive as we could be."

"I will likely announce the end of the liaison position with Miss Blye present." Deeks almost thought there was a hint of regret in Hetty's voice.

"So you guys are going to use our partnership against Kensi." Deeks shook his head. "Wow."

"Do you believe Miss Blye could successfully fool Lt. Bates?"

Deeks closed his eyes. "That's a hell of a question, Hetty."

"Mr. Deeks?"

"If I say that Kensi can sell the story and she doesn't, I screw up the case. If I say that Kensi can't sell the story..."

Warner returned to the EOC. "I'm sorry to break up our meeting but an officer was shot and I need to attend to that immediately and immediately in this room." He turned to Deeks. "Detective, this is an important case for the LAPD both to protect the public and to make sure our house is in order. I need to speak to you before you leave but I do believe you with Ms. Lange and Agent Callen can coordinate this operation."

"We'll clear out." Callen went to shake Warner's hand. "We'll be in touch."

"Detective Deeks and I are the only members of LAPD you are to contact in this matter. Deputy Chief Paul Patrick in Legal is aware of the operation but you only speak with Detective Deeks or with me."

"And you trust Chief Patrick, Chief Warner?" Hetty asked.

"Paul is my brother-in-law. We share a love of this department, Dodger season tickets and a well-placed fear of my wife, his sister. I trust him completely."

"Good to know," Callen smiled. "Deeks, go to the Boathouse. We'll talk there."

Warner waited for Hetty and Callen to leave before addressing Deeks. "This room is going to be full in about five minutes and they can't see you so I will make this fast. This is between you and me and I do not want it reported to NCIS."

"Go ahead."

"For the most part, I agree with you that Roger Bates is probably solid but I can't explain why he's been after Fisk for over a decade with no success."

"Why isn't Internal Affairs involved?"

"I've got a man we can't seem to arrest out there trying to sell explosives to the highest bidder. I don't have time for an Internal Affairs investigation."

"With all do respect sir, I was involved in an altercation in a squad room a few years ago and less than an hour later Internal Affairs wanted to see me. If they thought Bates was dirty..."

Warner cut Deeks off, "Someone is protecting Clarence Fisk, plain and simple. I know it isn't me, I know it isn't you and I know it isn't Paul Patrick. After that, it could be anyone from this department, from the DA's office, from the feds. Find the mole, Detective." Warner started walking Deeks to a side door exit of the EOC. "Stop the sale of the RDX, find the mole and you'll be back with NCIS."

"Yes sir."

Deeks closed the door behind him. As he walked unnoticed to the elevator - everyone was rushing to the EOC for the officer's shooting - his phone chirped again. Kensi was starving and wanted BLT. She called him a lifesaver. Awesome. A nice moment to use against her.

###


	2. Oh, How I Hate To Getz Up In The Morning

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Just playing with them and promise not to break anything.

SUMMARY: Three conversations, two before "The Debt" and one after.

II. Oh, how I hate to Getz up in the morning.

Deeks was half way to Zuma around 6AM when the call came in. Hetty needed him to report immediately to the Mission. The emphasis was on "report immediately" in the alert. He made quite possibly the world's most illegal u-turn on the PCH and started back to the office.

"Hetty?" Deeks called to an empty office.

"Good morning Mr. Deeks." Hetty was standing at the top of the stairs. "Did I pull you away from the beach this Sunday morning?" She gave him a good look, head to toe.

Deeks looked down at his flip-flops, board shorts and O'Neill hoodie. "I was wearing my wetsuit in the car. I have a change of clothes in my locker."

Hetty shook her head. "No Mr. Deeks, you're fine. I'm just glad you got here so quickly. If you please." Hetty pointed to the Operations Center door.

Deeks walked into Ops to find Nell laughing with someone who was on the big screen. "Miss Jones," Hetty interrupted, "Mr. Deeks has arrived."

Nell stopped laughing and said her quick goodbyes. "I'll be in the burn room," she told Hetty and Deeks before leaving. He was able to finally see who Nell was chatting and laughing with - Nate.

"Deeks, good to see you." Nate was in what looked to be a rather generic studio apartment. Nate's face looked slimmer, though the new beard might be the reason. His hair was longer.

"Good to see you too, man." Deeks smiled. He only worked with Nate closely for a few weeks but he liked him, really liked him.

"I'll leave you two to talk. Detective, please see me before you leave."

Deeks watched Hetty leave the room, "I'm guessing Hetty didn't book this satellite time so you could catch up with Nell and drag me off Zuma at way too early o'clock."

"Hetty is worried about you."

"Me?"

"Yes you. She's concerned about the toll this case might take on you."

"Nate, I'm not worried about me. I'm fine been seen as a screw up, I'm fine going back to LAPD for a while."

"What aren't you fine about?"

"Kensi. I think this is a spectacularly cruel thing to do to her."

Nate seemed taken aback. "Spectacularly cruel? You're doing to her what you've been doing professionally..."

"What I've been doing professionally to gang members, drug dealers, scum bags, you know, bad guys. I can lie to anyone. I don't want to lie to Kensi."

"You never lie to her?"

"I try hard not to look her in the eye and lie to her. And I sure as hell don't go out of my way to hurt her with my lies."

"You think this will hurt her?"

"You don't?"

"Kensi's a strong woman."

"Didn't say she wasn't strong. Strong people can still get hurt. I don't like using her like this."

"Do you believe your time away, no matter how short, is going to hurt her?"

"Not my time away, how it is being done."

"Spectacularly cruelly?"

"Yes Nate. Spectacularly cruelly. This not only plays on every issue she has, she's going to know we did this to her."

"What issues do you perceive she has?"

"Nate, you've known her longer than I have. Gimme a break."

"Deeks?"

"Her mom was gone when she was a kid, her father was murdered..."

"She told you that."

"No, but I'm a detective and while I may not be a former SEAL or G. Callen, international man of mystery, I am pretty good at what I do."

"She's not the only person who lost her parents at an early age. You've been on your own since you were 19."

"Yes, but I don't have a fiance who disappeared, a partner who was kidnapped and murdered. Kensi's whole life is about the people she's close to leaving her and nobody seeming to care."

"You seem to care."

Deeks just sighed. Running his hand through his hair he asked, "You know what's she's going to do, don't you?"

"What do you think she'll do?"

"How much do you know about what's going to happen Tuesday?"

"Everything. I worked with Nell and Hetty to find the appropriate reason for you to break cover."

"Well thank you for not making me a complete screw-up."

"It had to be a believable reason for you to break cover and not such an over-reaction that Chief Warner pushing for your return to the case isn't out of the question."

Deeks just shrugged. He had his reaction planned for the shooting, it was Kensi's reaction that he worried him. "And Kensi is going to push for me too. And when she realizes that everyone was in on this, that's this was all set up to get a reaction from her..."

"And to catch Clarence Fisk, Detective," Nate interrupted. "Your concern for Kensi is admirable and exactly what I would expect from her partner. You're tasked with retrieving the RDX, capturing Fisk and finding out who he is working with inside the LAPD. If you have a better plan..."

Deeks closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He said "I've been trying to come up with something."

"And?"

"Getting Sam to beat the crap out of me and being sent back to Bates for a time out isn't as fleshed out as I'd like it to be. It is what got me here in the first place, maybe it gets me out."

Nate chuckled. "Sounds like a painful exit."

Deeks turned serious. "She's going to shut down, Nate. She's going to realize we saw a weakness and that weakness was used against her. She will never allow anyone to see her weak again."

"You seem so sure of that."

"I don't understand why you don't."

Nate sighed, "Kensi will understand. Maybe not right away but once the RDX is off the street, once Clarence Fisk and his contact in the department are under arrest..."

"I get to come back and a year and a half's worth of getting her to trust me is completely gone. I've lied to her..."

"For a good cause."

"Someone needs to tell her the truth once I'm back with LAPD."

"Hetty is sure Bates will talk to her."

"I am too."

"I could suggest to Hetty that she gauge Kensi's reaction while you're gone and if the case takes longer than planned, perhaps Kensi could be read in."

"Perhaps Kensi could be read in?" Deeks chuckled but his mood did not improve. "You've got this spy lingo down."

Nate smiled. "I'm trying."

"How are things going in wherever the hell you are?"

"Not bad. I'm learning new things every day, doing good work every day. I miss L.A."

"When Hetty got back to work, we all went out for drinks. Bonding ritual. Rose showed up. She misses you terribly."

"Good to know," Nate said, blushing a little. "Back to business, can you do this Detective?"

"Never a question that I could do it Nate. Just don't like how it is being done."

"Messy business."

"Messing with Kensi is the problem."

"She will understand."

"She will. And then she'll build bigger and better walls so that no one ever thinks she's weak again."

"You underestimate her, Deeks."

"Never. That's the one thing everyone else here is doing. They underestimate how hard she's worked to be a part of this team."

"I am still concerned about you."

"Don't be Nate. As long as NCIS will take me back when this is over - they are taking me back, right?"

"Oh yeah. Hetty went out of her way to use the word "temporarily" in all of our correspondence."

"Well, as long as I can come back, it's a job."

"Don't do anything you shouldn't, Marty."

"Marty?"

"Don't tell her."

"Despite what I'll be doing Tuesday morning in the park, I don't break cover." Deeks smiled a little. "Marty, you went there?"

"Only because I was concerned."

"Save your concerns for Kensi. She's the one being used here."

Nate smiled. "It was good seeing you Detective."

"Much better. Marty, really?" Deeks chuckled. "You take care of yourself, wherever the hell you are."

"You do the same." Nate leaned forward to his computer and the screen suddenly was black.

Deeks put his hands through his hair, yawned and stretched. The plan this morning was to surf for a few hours and not think about lying to Kensi, to Bates, to everyone at the LAPD but Warner. Instead, he probably got a pre-case assessment from thousands of miles away from a shrink he thought of as a friend. Now he had the rest of the day to worry about Kensi's mental state after Tuesday morning while NCIS seemed worried about his before now. Awesome.

"Detective?" Nell broke him out of his stewing.

Deeks stood and looked at Nell. "You never did tell us how you knew Nate before you started working here."

"Really, I thought that came up months ago," Nell dodged with ease. "Hetty is waiting for you if you're done."

"Oh yeah, I'm done." Deeks walked to the door.

As the door opened, Nell said, "If it makes you feel any better, Detective, I don't like this operation much. I've tried to come up with a better plan but with the mole at LAPD, I just don't see how else this works."

"Thanks for trying Nell." Deeks had a thought. "Are you going to be here long?"

"No, Hetty needed someone to secure the call to Nate and I'm on duty this weekend. Why?"

"You hungry? Maybe you, Hetty and me could grab a bite. Shame to miss breakfast on this fine Sunday morning."

Nell smiled, "Sure. That would be nice."

"I'll call up to you when Hetty's done with me." And with any luck, Deeks thought, Hetty would have plans. That way he could work on Nell during breakfast to make sure someone else is watching Kensi and may even keep him in the loop.

Deeks thought he heard Nell whisper "Good luck" as he started downstairs. He got to the bottom of the stairs when Hetty commented from her desk, "I have to give you credit Detective, you only come in dressed this way on an emergency weekend call. Mr. Beale enjoys that look all week long."

"I really did have my wetsuit on in the car. I changed when I noticed I needed gas about a mile from here."

"Thank you for that, Mr. Deeks." She pointed to the guest chair in her office and Deeks quickly sat. "Two words for you: spectacularly and cruel."

"Nate works fast."

"Nate is worried."

"If it is about me doing what I'm supposed to, he's wrong. I'll execute, no pun intended for NCIS Agent Danielson from D.C., this operation as ordered."

"Of that I have no doubt." Hetty took a sip of her tea. "Nate has two issues. First, he believes you are more concerned about Miss Blye than you are yourself or this case."

"I'm not the one being emotionally manipulated by people I trust."

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Hanna and I will keep an eye on Miss Blye."

"Thank you." Deeks knew this wasn't a war he was going to win. His conversation with Nate reinforced that belief.

"Nate also wonders why you aren't concerned about your reputation. You seem to enjoy your work here."

"I do."

"You're good at it."

"Good enough for you to offer me a job. That means a lot to me."

"An offer that if you accepted we wouldn't be here today." Hetty's smile took the sting out of that comment.

"My past bad decisions come to bite me in the ass once again." Deeks chuckled.

"You don't seem bothered by what this could do to your standing in the LAPD."

Deeks shrugged his shoulders. "It's a case."

"It is also your career."

"I am coming back to NCIS, right?"

"Absolutely."

"Then between you and me Hetty, there are more than a few of my LAPD co-workers who will look at shooting an Aryan thug beating an African-American female jogger as the first sensible thing I've done in years."

"And going back to work for Lt. Bates?"

"I meet with Bates every Tuesday, well now every either Tuesday or Wednesday after Sam insisted I change my routine up. There are worse bosses out there, I'm sure, and the guys on the squad will feel better about themselves since I failed here."

"That I don't understand."

"Hetty, I went from the Academy to the Legal Bureau and from Legal to undercover work. Outside of official police functions like funerals or parades, I never wore my uniform once. Never rode in a patrol car. Never worked a neighborhood. That's not how most of the undercover squad got there."

"Will you reconsider my offer of a position here?"

"I think about it a lot Hetty. Just not sure yet."

"We take care of our own, Detective." Deeks noted Hetty's rare use of his title. "You, with the LAPD or not, are one of us."

"Thank you Hetty. Take care of Kensi." Deeks figured he was being dismissed. "Nell and I are going to grab a bite to eat, you up for some breakfast? It is the most important meal of the day."

"No, but thank you for the kind offer. I'm meeting an old friend for brunch after I finish some paperwork here."

Deeks smiled and said his goodbyes. Calling up to Nell, he figured omelets and bacon were an excellent way to buy her favor.

-30-


	3. My Dinner With Kensi

III. My Dinner with Kensi

From a booth in the back of the bar, Deeks scanned the surprisingly thin Tuesday night crowd and still no Kensi. He dialed her number. "Please leave a message at the tone."

"Kensi, it's me again. I'm still at Seaside Murph's. I still haven't had dinner yet and we still need to talk. It's..." Deeks looked down at his watch. "It's 9:45. I'll keep calling until you either answer or you show up. Answer. Or show up. Or both. Just talk to me."

After he blew off Kensi's female partner question, Deeks was called back to the new Police Administration Building to be debriefed by Deputy Chief Warner, Roger Bates, the head of Internal Affairs and two members of the DA's office. He finished with them just before six and was calling Kensi ever since. He was starting to wonder how much longer it would take to fill up her voicemail.

"Tim, your girl still hasn't shown?" Desmond Murphy, owner of Seaside Murph's, asked Deeks.

"I told you she was angry," Deeks replied sheepishly. Desmond knew him as Tim Davis, environmental attorney. When he brought Kensi here late in October for a beer and some college football, she was Tracy Jacobs, public relations executive for one of the movie studios. She was also the apple of Desmond's eye that night. He was probably old enough to be her grandfather but Deeks was pretty sure a few of Desmond's thoughts that night weren't grandfatherly.

Desmond joined Deeks in the booth. "I'd ask if you were stepping out on her but I can't imagine a man alive doing that."

"Oh, Desmond, if you only knew," Deeks sighed. "No, there was a conflict at work and I should have told her it was coming."

"I'm sure you're a good man and a fine companion but if I was you, I'd spend my time making sure someone that far out of your league, and my league too, was happy every single day."

"That's the new plan going forward."

"If she doesn't show, I'll buy you a beer. We'll both cry in it." Desmond started to slide out of the booth. "If she shows, you be the person she deserves. And if you're not, try to be."

"She deserves better than what she got today."

"Son, then you make sure she is never wanting again." Desmond walked to the door to greet another patron.

When his cellphone chirped, Deeks was hopeful for a second but that hope was dashed with one word - "Eric" - on his screen. "You need something, Eric?" Deeks asked.

"I'm sending you a photo as a head's up."

After his phone beeped, he looked again at the screen. "Oh crap," Deeks said looking at the picture. It was him standing on the ledge outside of Bates's window, 12 floors off the ground.

"Hetty would like some background on that picture," Eric told him.

"Where did you get this?"

"It showed up on a photo-sharing website. A tourist from Billings, Montana named Geraldine Ashford thought it was a movie stunt."

"It wasn't a movie stunt."

"Callen just visited with Mrs. Ashford. He convinced her it was not a movie but a desperate act of a disturbed man."

"He wasn't wrong. Though, once I was back inside the building, I thought it was cool."

"Hetty disagrees. The photo is off the website. I've scrubbed it from the photo-sharing site's cache but I'm looking for other pictures on the web and Nell is searching security cameras in the area."

"Sorry you two got stuck late doing this."

Nell joined the conversation, "I just want to hear you explain this to Hetty. That would be worth staying late for this."

"I had to get out of Bates's office. I took the scenic route." Deeks saw Kensi walk in. "I got to get off the line. Nell, if you find any video, edit it with me going off that bridge earlier in the year. Maybe I can sell Hetty on the humor of it." He e-mailed the photo to himself. Entertaining new wallpaper for his laptop.

As Kensi passed the bar, Desmond gave Deeks a big smile and two thumbs up. Good to know someone had faith in him.

As she sat across from him in the booth, Kensi told him, "You're buying."

"Whatever you want."

"I'm hungry."

"You usually are."

She lifted an eyebrow.

"Ah, thank you for coming." Deeks waved to the waitress, who dropped off the menus and promised to return.

"You disappeared pretty quickly after lunch."

"LAPD needed a debrief. Quinn's arrest is going to be a problem and they want to try to get ahead of it."

Kensi nodded her head. As she started to speak, Desmond returned. "Tracy, whatever the lad did to make you angry, he's at least bright enough to know he's wrong."

She lifted an eyebrow again at Deeks before transforming into Tracy for their host. "Tim needs to figure out he's wrong before he decides to act. Living your life with the motto 'it's easier to say I'm sorry than to say may I' has consequences."

"You're on your own, Tim." Desmond patted Deeks on the back. To Kensi, he advised, "The lobster risotto is excellent and if he's paying, quite expensive."

The waitress returned and Kensi went for the lobster risotto while Deeks ordered fish and chips. Alone again, Kensi asked what exactly did Deeks tell Murphy.

"I told him something happened at work that I should have told you about."

"Hetty told me you were put in a difficult spot."

Thank you Hetty, Deeks thought. "I had a job to do. You were the one in a difficult spot."

"How long were you all planning this?"

"I wasn't planning, I was told what to do."

"Deeks," Kensi warned.

"I got pulled into a meeting with Hetty, Callen and one of the deputy chiefs at LAPD the day I requalified and had my drug test."

"That was a couple of weeks ago."

"I kept hoping that the RDX would be recovered or the FBI, who have an agent in with the Aryans, would get to Fisk first." Deeks leaned in to Kensi. "I didn't want today to happen."

"But it did."

The waitress arrived with their food and two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, compliments of Desmond. As soon as the waitress left, Kensi grabbed Deeks's glass of wine and poured it into her glass. "You're also driving."

"I've already had four ginger ales. You think that's wise?" Deeks joked.

Kensi took a bite of her risotto. She smiled a little but got serious when she turned her attention back to the day's events. "Why didn't you tell me? I know how this was supposed to play out. I sold your story. But you were back on the case and I kept calling you."

"I was back in for about an hour. I didn't know who I could trust."

"I thought I was someone you could trust," Kensi said quietly.

"You are. Quinn showing up with some shaky evidence against Bates meant I couldn't contact you. I was under investigation which means he could tap my phone, he wouldn't have a hard time convincing a judge to tap yours."

"Why?"

"What happened this morning meant IA was looking at me for not only the shooting but for possibly being Fisk's mole. I knew LAPD and NCIS were about to make the bust. It didn't happen because of me. Maybe I shot an unarmed man to protect Fisk."

Kensi took the last bite of her risotto. "So if you were gone for a month..."

"I was never going to be gone that long. Fisk told Bates today the sale of the RDX had to go through by Friday. He's got a shipment of heroin coming up Mexico Sunday and he was having cash flow problems."

"You wouldn't have called me back until the weekend?"

"I asked anyone who would listen to tell you everything once Bates spoke to you and I was back on the case."

"Nobody listened."

Deeks disagreed. Nell may not have spilled the beans officially but Sunday was the best thirty two dollars he ever spent on breakfast. "I think Hetty would have told you by the end of the day if I was still out of NCIS."

"If she didn't."

"On or off the record?"

"On."

"I would have trusted Hetty's judgment as operations manager and continued my assignment."

"Off."

"You would have had company tomorrow morning around 5AM." Deeks chuckled. "You might not have recognized me. Bates originally wanted me to cut my hair and get a shave."

Kensi drained the last of their wine. "Would have served you right."

"I hated every single thing about this case."

The waitress reappeared to clear their plates. Kensi asked for another glass of wine, Deeks stuck with ginger ale. Deeks excused himself to use the restroom.

Walking back to the booth, Desmond grabbed his arm. "How's it going, my boy?"

"When she didn't dump the risotto on me and storm out, I figured she'd let me make my case."

"And?"

"Jury is still out. Thanks for the wine."

"Medicine cures, wine makes people happy."

Deeks was smiling when he returned to the booth. Kensi had her second/third wine. "Thank you for not leaving."

"Looks like you have a friend in Desmond."

"Only because I bring you here."

Kensi smiled.

Deeks got quiet and serious. "I'm sorry you were used in all this. I'm sorry I lied. I try hard not to lie to you. I'm sorry you got hurt."

Kensi's bravado replaced her anger and her pain. "I accept your apology about the lies but I wasn't hurt."

Deeks smiled and shook his head. Leaning in, he pulled his ginger ale out of her reach and placed his hand around the stem of her glass so she couldn't toss the wine in his face. "Liar," he said with no malice.

Kensi glared at him as he settled back into the booth.

"It was heartbreaking to see you in the bullpen. You were so unhappy. I couldn't even look at you while I packed up my stuff. I wanted to kill Sam and Callen for leaving me alone with you to say goodbye. I knew I was coming back..."

"That's why you ran when I wanted to talk."

"Damn straight. I told you we'd talk and we would have if I was leaving. But I wasn't having any conversation like that with you in that place. And I won't. Ever. Whatever we have going on, I'm not doing it with Sam and Callen around, with Hetty hovering or with Eric and Nell able to flip on a camera to follow along."

"So that's why you blew me off when I asked you about having a female partner."

"Yeah, well, about that."

"Yes."

"Bates was messing with you. When he called me to tell me I was back on the case, he said you were pissed. I figured he was channeling your anger at me and not NCIS."

"Because being angry at you is better?"

"Being angry at me wasn't going to cause you any more problems than you had already. Being angry at Hetty, Callen and Sam for not fighting for me was going to get you in trouble. Hell, Bates said he was surprised Hetty didn't fight for me."

"She didn't, did she?"

"No, and I was hoping that would tip you off. Hetty just firing me. A bro-hug from Callen, a nice to know you from Sam. Jesus, if I am ever run out of the building I would someone besides you to seem to genuinely mind."

Kensi looked at him skeptically. "Anything else I missed?"

"When was the last time I broke cover?"

Kensi started reviewing their cases together. Every time she thought she had an incident, either she broke cover or the operation changed from an undercover assignment to an arrest. "You don't break cover much."

"No. And I'm not a thug with a gun, either. I worked too damn hard not to be what I came from."

"So you never swore off female partners."

"I've been partnered with you for over a year." Deeks got a little quiet, "I worked with Jess before that. I did an art gallery forgery sting with Linda Jeffries from the FBI's Art Crime Team. There have been others." Deeks leaned in a little, "but I never had a partner as long as I've been with you. What I use to do for LAPD was usually by myself with either a handler or Bates monitoring things. With you, as much as it killed me to see you upset, it was nice to see someone cared."

"Do that to me again and orders or no orders I'll never care again."

"We good?"

"We're better," Kensi told him.

"Better's good. What are you doing Sunday?"

"Sunday?"

"Yeah, Sunday. LAPD is going to let Clarence Fisk's drug deal with the Mexicans go down, only Fisk will be represented by his new real estate lawyer, Dale John Sully. Wanna watch from the command center?"

"You can do that."

"Bates is letting me run the show so yes, I can do that. LAPD work takes precedence over my NCIS duties and I'm sure I can sell both organizations on you as an observer."

"Nell told me about last Sunday."

"Yeah, much like you, for a skinny, little person she eats a lot of breakfast food."

Kensi shot him a look.

"But it is the most important meal of the day so I was happy to make sure she met her daily nutritional requirements."

"Do you know where Nate is?"

"There was nothing in his room that gave away his location, probably intentional, but there was a small window and it was dark behind him. I was guessing Afghanistan but who knows?"

Both Deeks and Kensi answered his question simultaneously, "Hetty."

"So you're going to arrest some Mexican drug dealers."

"You can watch. It will be your own personal episode of Cops."

Kensi's mood lightened. "I'll think about it."

From her reaction, Deeks knew she'd be there. "We're still better."

"We're good."

Deeks signaled the waitress for the check. Desmond dropped by with it. "Tracy, did you take mercy on my friend here?"

"With you as his friend, maybe we both can straighten him out. His old boss mentioned he might look better with a shave and a haircut," Kensi said smiling ear to ear for the first time all day.

Desmond tapped Deeks on the chest, "I told you that son, months ago. What jury is going to take you seriously if you're looking like a roadie for U2?"

Deeks took two fifties out of his wallet and figured he'd overtip the waitress for leaving the two of them alone most of the night. "OK, I'm paying for this and let Erin keep the change. As for my hair," he turned his attention to Kensi, "ask Delilah how well that haircutting went for Samson."

"Samson? Really?"

"You two have a good night." Desmond walked to the bar shaking his head. "Be good to each other."

"You'd be amazed by my feats of bravery and strength today." Deeks fished his phone out of his pocket and emailed her the photo of him outside of Bates's window.

Kensi looked at the photo on her phone, then stared at Deeks.

"There were times when I couldn't answer my cell, I promise." Deeks smiled. "Hetty wants to talk to me about this tomorrow; you can watch her yell at me. I'm sure at some point she'll be sorry I'm back."

Kensi got serious. "She won't. She found you, you're one of hers."

"Funny, she said the same thing Sunday." Deeks stood. "I am glad to be back."

Kensi got up and eyed him head to toe. "Yeah, well, keep things on the straight and narrow Tim. I don't need another day like today."

Deeks threw his arm around Kensi's shoulder and leaned into her ear before she could pull away, "Selling Tracy and Tim to Desmond. She'd have forgiven a do-gooder like Tim."

His heart nearly stopped as she looked up to him. Her smiled was glorious as she leaned into his ear, "You walk me out like this, you're paying for the lobster risotto next time."

"Deal," Deeks told her. It was a debt he'd be happy to pay.

-30-

Author's notes: If you made it here, bless your heart! And thanks for reading and reviewing/favoriting. That's awesome. This was fun!


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